Eden came exactly when she was supposed to; On her due date J. Although that date was stuck in our minds for the past 8 months, somehow when the time finally came, we weren’t totally ready. In short, we almost didn’t make it the hospital in time for her arrival. So here is the chaotic story of how Eden Grace Worth entered our world, and became part of TEAM WORTH. We are so in love with this ADORABLE blessing from the Lord! (Eden maybe one day you will read this and it will put a smile on your face).
It all started a little over 9 months ago...j/k…we won’t be sharing that part of the story. So I’ll start here: Tuesday Oct 11th, 2011 became a monumental day , for that is officially when labor began. I was substitute teaching that afternoon. That morning I had some contractions, and felt a little funny, but nothing earth shattering. So I decided why not at least work a half day. So I did. Around 2:30 or so I thought my water was beginning to break (Not like the movies…they make it seem so dramatic). In the end it wasn't, but I did leave school a little early that day. Contractions began to be more consistent around 4:30/5:00pm. They were painful, but looking back definitely nothing like the ones that were coming my way that evening. So I waited for Mark to finish work, and to do some more of his running. (For those of you who were following his goal of running 250 miles, he finished the night before Eden arrived!)
Mark was a wonderful help! After work he was determined to help get US ready for the hospital, and to leave our apartment clean. We went out that evening, grabbed a bite to eat, and Mark even bought me Gertrude Hawk chocolate for pre and post labor/delivery. I actually had a handful of painful contractions in the store trying to pick out my chocolate haha. That evening the contractions started picking up, becoming more painful and closer together. Mark helped me breathe through many of them! What a great coach! Around 11pm we loaded our 100 bags and 10 pillows into the car….(j/k but really we had a lot of things! ). The contractions were especially painful as we headed to the hospital. I had heard of back labor, but was not aware that your hips could feel like they were on FIRE during a contraction. Your hips can actually separate in preparation for labor. Upon arrival, I was less than thrilled with the nurse who told me not to breathe so heavy, and to just RELAX. Yes, that was exactly what I wanted to do! (NOT!) I was devastated when I was discharged around 12:45am at only 2 CM. The doctor said I could be 6-48 hours away from delivering!! My parents arrived at the hospital just as we were being discharged. Although I love my parents dearly, the prospect of laboring at home and knowing they were going to be there was frustrating. I didn’t want to be around anyone but Mark.
We arrived home and I had already decided I wanted to take a very HOT shower. Anything to find relief! So after throwing up my dinner ( yes lovely I know), I took a shower. The shower was so hot that the steam made it hard to breathe, so Mark brought in a fan for me. Who asks for a fan to be blowing on them, while in the shower? A pregnant woman, desperate for relief!! I stayed in that shower/ bath for about an hour. Although Mark thought it was probably too hot, he didn’t say a word because he could see that I was finally relaxing, and talking to him againJ. Yes communication is important, even during labor.(It was during my shower that I decided I was getting an epidural when I returned to the hospital!) Finally Mark encouraged me to get out. No one will ever know how much progress I made in there, but It wouldn’t surprise me if I dilated 3-4 cm during that time!! Needless to say, the shower moved things along! The baby was probably thinking ( WOOAH IT’S HOT IN HERE…time to get out! )haha.
The next 2 hours or so was probably the worst part of the whole thing. Contractions became unbearable. Mark was a wonderful help. When I would hit the peaks of contractions and start crying, tensing up, and giving in he would help pull me through them. At this point we had no idea how far I was. ( See we had already reached the 5-1-1 rule ( contractions that are 5 min apart, lasting 1 min, for at least 1 hour.) So the doctor said that when contractions became more “intense” we should come back in. News flash!! Contractions already seemed intense to me, how was I supposed to know when I should go back? Due to the fact that we were already sent home once, Mark wanted to make absolutely sure that I was far enough along to be admitted, before leaving for the hospital. So around 5:00am we started timing them again. They were 2-3 min apart, but Mark wanted to keep track for a whole hour, just to be certain. However, 35 min. into that hour, I urged him to call the doctor. I was starting to feel the urge to push! This can begin to happen during the transitional stage of labor, so again, we didn’t know exactly how far along I was. The doctor definitely thought that we should head back to the hospital.
What came next was the most intense car ride of our lives. Contractions seemed to be coming every minute. Mark tried to keep me focused on breathing and NOT pushing. He was breathing, blowing, and talking me through the contractions. So he wasn’t breathing enough himself. He began to feel faint. Very comical now to talk about, but it would have been awful if he had passed out. Eden for sure would have been born in the car. To make matters worse, Mark went four blocks passed the hospital. I angrily and painfully said, MARK GET ME TO THE HOSPITAL, THIS BABY IS COMING!! At this point I was at the end of my rope. Blowing out air as if my life depended on it! Anything not to push! Mark was yelling and reminding me not to give in and push. I was yelling at him for NOT running a red light. I demanded that he park at the ER entrance, and turn on the flashers.
Upon arrival, I practically ran in the hospital. When I realized Mark wasn’t with me, I rushed back out the door, and yelled at him to COME ON! In the mad dash to the door he grabbed only two things, completely forsaking our digital camera and birthing plan J. The very nice maintenance man saw my very flustered self and offered a wheelchair. Thank goodness! I arrived on the labor/delivery floor huffing and puffing. The same nurse I had earlier told me to RELAX again, since I still had a long way to go. My goodness I could have punched her. All I wanted was pain meds. In triage I was repeatedly begging for them. However, Nurse Judy we will call her, realized that I was much further than anticipated. She was surprised at my progress! WOW! 8 cm! She looked me right in the face after my 4th or 5th time asking for pain meds and said “honey, you’re not getting pain meds, you’re going to push!” My whole world came crashing down, I screamed, and started to cry. All the nurses thought it was awesome that I didn’t come in till I was ready to push. That was definitely not my view at the current time. They wheeled my bed from triage right into a delivery room. My doctor arrived soon after. He was about to check my progress, when the nurse said there was no need. She informed him I was fully dilated and that she only told us we were 8cm so as not to scare us hahaha. I barely had time to think about what was happening. It was show time, and I had no choice but to deliver naturally. I pushed for 20 minutes or less, and Eden Grace entered the world! What an amazing and chaotic experience. Looking back I am glad that I went through labor and delivery naturally. Now I know when push comes to shove (literally and figuratively) I can do it! If I had arrived at the hospital an hour or two earlier, I would have given in, and asked for pain meds. There is nothing wrong with medication, but I am glad I was forced to do it without any. I quite often fail to push myself to my fullest potential. I know at least when it comes to labor, that I can accomplish a lot if I am encouraged, and determined.
Trust me, labor/delivery was NOT a walk in the park. However, as I look at my story, I realize I am truly blessed. Labor and delivery, although a bit dramatic, went beautifully. Everything was text book. I didn't tare or have an episiotomy. Recovery has gone well. The biggest battle so far has been emotional with a side of fatigue J. So for now we are taking it one day at time! I’m sure in the next 18 + years there will be plenty more battles to face as we raise our precious Eden J.
Just as Autum fought hard to hold off the inevitable reality of winter, weather’s proverbial death, so Katie and I have been trying to suck the life out of our remaining moments here in PA. The greater Scranton area has been our home for most of five and a half years now. But just like Autum, we have finally succumb to death. Our apartment now resembles something closer to a disaster area than a living space. When we are not feeding, burping, changing, or comforting the baby we spend our moments frantically combing the apartment for what other unneeded item we might pack. And so, life here in PA no longer resembles life in PA. Outside of a couple more dates with friends, the curtian is closing, snow begins to fall, the fat lady is singing doe rae me... it is almost over.
